I have so many pieces of equipment and assorted vehicles that it seems that one of my major expenses is just keeping batteries working in my various pieces of equipment. My latest challenge is figuring out what is the best method of keeping a 24v system charged. My Tak TB175 simply has 2 large Interstate batteries in a series, giving the machine 24 volts. I've tried putting a 12v trickle charger on each of the 12v batteries, but that doesn't seem to work and it's a bit** to jump start! From what I've seen, 24v trickle chargers seem mighty spendy. Any ideas or what others with 24v systems are doing? I do not run my equipment nearly as much over winter months, but I can't afford to buy a few thousand dollars of batteries every spring! Help.....please.
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Okay, here's one of those 'slow in the winter' sort of questions. Charging 24v system
- Thread starter Allgood
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Deeretracks
Senior Member
As long as you unhook the battery cables There is no reason that 2 trickle chargers shouldn't work. You could also make up a simple cable to put them in parallel when you are storing it, that way you would only need 1 battery minder.
Multiracer
Senior Member
If you are near electric look up a company called Deltran. They make an awesome array of very simple yet very reliable maintenance chargers.
For batteries that sit and deep discharge killing themselves, this is the way to go.
For batteries that sit and deep discharge killing themselves, this is the way to go.
old-iron-habit
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Are you hooking to each battery individually with both battery charger cables? I can not see why that should not work. If you are hooking to the positive post only and to a common ground it will not work when they are hooked in series. I have used two 12 volt chargers many times on 24 volt systems hooking positive charge to positive post and negative lead to negative post on one 12 volt battery. Repeat the same with the other charger on the other 12 volt battery. I have never had any issue doing this.
Excellent idea, use some small gauge wire and ring terminals, or automotive cables for a post battery, and put them in parallel.
I'm assuming you have a 24V charger, if not they're not that hard to find.
If you charge them up, then unhook ONE cable, any battery that is dead in the spring didn't want to live anyway. Self discharge is proportional to temperature, so a battery will go dead in a month in the heat of summer but be still be charged enough to start up in the spring. It's still a good idea to charge them again before starting.
That is exactly what I am doing using a Deltran unit with 8 outputs. I use two outputs; one on each battery. I used my meter to measure the voltage on each (just to make sure of what I 'knew') and, as expected, I was obviously getting 12v at each battery. I don't understand why using two of the Deltran leads (one for each battery) doesn't work. The same unit keeps several other pieces of equipment charged.
joispoi
Senior Member
24v trickle chargers start around $20 on amazon.
Georgia Iron
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The U.S. military has some really expensive batteries that run their equipment. My 6 x 6 tractor m932a has 4 batteries on a 24 volt system. Pulsetech makes the military charging systems. They have a special charge that helps to keep the batteries from ruining. They say it will help to keep the batteries alive up to 5 times longer if you use it. The also have solar chargers and cheaper commercial charging units.
I have 2 - 2 station units. I like the units cause it tests the battery and tells you if it's bad.
Here is a link to the kind I use, I like them.
http://www.pulsetech.net/X2-Xtreme-2-Station-Pulse-Maintenance-12V--24V-Battery-Charger-7282.aspx
I have 2 - 2 station units. I like the units cause it tests the battery and tells you if it's bad.
Here is a link to the kind I use, I like them.
http://www.pulsetech.net/X2-Xtreme-2-Station-Pulse-Maintenance-12V--24V-Battery-Charger-7282.aspx
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Thanks! That's relatively expensive, but not as expensive as changing about 20 batteries every spring!! I know what I'm putting on my Christmas wish list now...